Gulf Council’s Call for Public Opinion Regarding the Red Snapper

It’s titled “Amendment 50: State Management of Recreational Red Snapper,” and it is the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (GMFMC) that is “calling” out to the public for their opinions and ideas on this matter.

Holding ten public hearings and a webinar to solicit public comments, the Council wants one and all to learn the facts about Amendment 50; a document which would provide much-needed flexibility to the Gulf States to set the recreational Red Snapper fishing season, and potentially take other measures under State management.

For those who are currently unaware, this amendment is based on regulations that are no longer working. It was from 1996 to 2014, when the recreational fishing season for Red Snapper in federal waters began to progressively shorten. Although regular increases continued in the recreational annual catch limit since 2010, federal seasons have continued to grow shorter because the quota of fish is being caught in a far less amount of time.

From all different areas of the Gulf, fishermen and women have requested more flexibility when it comes to recreational Red Snapper seasons. If the current regulations were not so rigid, economies in these particular areas would benefit. By accepting Amendment 50 and allowing State management to set regulations (i.e., bag limits, fishing season dates), then the “uniform” recreational regulations currently being applied to fishing in all federal waters of the Gulf would no longer be an encumbrance to citizens.

Each Gulf State will be more apt to see an influx of travelers who wish nothing more than to “get away” and enjoy fishing the beautiful areas the Gulf has to offer. Not only will this influx better the economy, but you’re talking about bringing more customers to the area which would, in turn, help small businesses to grow.

With the public’s help in this matter, this amendment will no longer have to sit in the “draft” stage, which is why these public hearings and webinar are so important. Keep Florida Fishing, as well as other groups, want to get the word out to one and all in order to head this particular issue down the right path.

With four of the hearings to be held in Florida, below is the complete list of dates and locations for all ten scheduled by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (GMFMC):

Dec. 3: Sanders Beach/Corrine Jones Center, Pensacola, FL

Dec. 4: Destin Community Center, Destin, FL

Dec. 5: Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel, Mobile, AL

Dec. 10: Embassy Suites, Baton Rouge, LA

Jan. 7: Hyatt Place Fort Myers at the Forum, Fort Myers, FL

Jan. 8: Hilton St. Petersburg Carillon Park, St. Petersburg, FL

Jan. 14: Courtyard by Marriott Brownsville, Brownsville, TX

Jan. 15: Omni Hotels Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX

Jan. 16: League City Civic Center and Recreation Center, League City, TX

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